The present invention relates to a track support element for a tire engaging track.
Endless tracks are used to convert motor vehicles that normally run on rubber tires for use in winter weather. Track support elements support the track and engage the tires of the motor vehicle. Examples of track support elements are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,099,794; 4,810,043 and 5,284,387. Each of the above described United States Patents disclose a track support element that has an elongate unitary body with upstanding tire containment members at each end. These track support elements are designed to fit only one of the plurality of sizes of vehicular tires.
What is required is a track support element that can be adapted to fit several of the plurality of sizes of vehicular tires.
According to the present invention there is provided a track support element which includes an elongate body. A first tire containment member is positioned along the elongate body. A second tire containment member is positioned along the elongate body in spaced relation to the first tire containment member. Either the first tire containment member, the second tire containment member or both are movable along the elongate body whereby the relative distance between the first tire containment member and the second tire containment member.
The track support element, as described above, is readily adjustable to fit different sizes of vehicular tire. It would be possible to secure the first tire containment member and the second tire containment member directly to a rubber track. However, the use of an elongate body has been found to provide considerable benefits. It provides extra strength to the tire containment members so that they do not become detached from the track. It does this by distributing the force exerted upon each of the tire containment members over a larger surface area. It stabilizes the tire containment members during rotation of the track by resisting twisting of the tire containment members. When the elongate body is in a transverse orientation, it provides an extra gripping surface which helps prevent tires from spinning. Although beneficial results may be obtained through the use of the invention, as described above, even more beneficial results may be obtained when additional selected features are added, as will hereinafter be further described.